


Distance

by Liryczna



Category: Shards of the Sun
Genre: Albany is a public menace, Facebook Status: It's Complicated, Oswald is terrible and I hate him, Other, he always cares too much, ok, thanks to Flick, they have more space in their hearts than in their bed and their bed is enormous, writing them is tricky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-22 00:46:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9574430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liryczna/pseuds/Liryczna
Summary: Every time when he reaches out and Oswald slowly backs away, unconsciously gravitating towards others, Albany understands, but it breaks his heart anyway, just a little, as it always did.





	

Every time when he reaches out and Oswald slowly backs away, unconsciously gravitating towards others, Albany understands, but it breaks his heart anyway, just a little, as it always did. It is nothing new, nothing malicious or intentional. It was learnt through years spent at the court in the eyes of everybody, through every spiteful jealous remark Ari said, and the knowledge that even the time spent at Cosimo’s house changed nothing is like a dagger. But how could it? In public, Oswald is all bark and no bite, flirting shamelessly when given an opportunity, often with no intent to actually follow through. Still, every time he starts to care, he freezes, completely unable to cope, and with his wife in the picture it was worse. Near death experiences have a knack for making people re-evaluate their lives, and it got better, for a while, at least when they were safe with their family. Now, the strain in his movements reappears, worry lines which were absent only weeks ago deepen, and Oswald once again falls back on his long silences and uneasy jokes. Albany curses Cornelia under his breath, the way she spoke about responsibility for which none of them asked. It would be far easier to forget ever being a Prince than it is to forget having feelings.

 

Flick helps. Vibrant, absurd and fantastic, she catches their attention from the very beginning, and never loses it, not really. She is different than others, those who came before and those who would perhaps one day come after. Not really just a distraction, though, he can see that clearly. There is admiration in Oswald’s voice as he talks about her, genuine fondness in his smiles, and Albany knows it is not a passing fancy which will leave Oswald broken when one of them decides to end it, but rather a friendship that will strengthen him, something that may last a lifetime. Of course, if Oswald’s snoring does not turn out to be a deal breaker.  

 

As they bicker and flirt, not caring who sees or hears them, Albany just laughs. Even a moment when Oswald forgets about the rest of the world is worth its price in gold. Still, he would lie if he had to say he did not like Flick as well, although he is fairly sure she only tolerates him for his thighs.

 

After all, she would have to be blind not to.


End file.
